Recruiting Roundup: Inside the Beginning Stage of USA Basketball's Dominance

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The sports world already knows about USA Basketball's global comeback on the senior level as the team has captured three consecutive Olympic gold medals in mostly dominating fashion after a disappointing games in 2004.

But the program is also as stable as it's ever been at the youth levels as USA Basketball has become a gold-medal factory that is winning at all ages.

The junior national minicamp in Colorado Springs has been a big part of the program's recent success. Started in 2009, the fall camp is a great event for high school seniors to work out against elite competition and also try out for the Nike Hoop Summit team that plays in April.

The event's greater long-term importance, however, is for the younger players in attendance.

This year's 54-player minicamp served as a USA Basketball debut for many of the elite underclassmen in the country as they gained experience, received top-level training and played older, more physical players. With the U16 FIBA Americas tournament looming in the summer of 2017, USA Basketball had a lot of class of 2019 and class of 2020 prospects—high school freshmen and sophomores—at the minicamp to see which players it might bring back for summer tryouts.

USA Basketball youth division director Don Showalter switches between coaching the USA U16 and U17 teams every summer. Showalter has been a big part of the program's all-around dominance as he's 50-0 with eight gold medals during his time in charge since 2009. Showalter enjoys the October minicamp because it's a unique setting that gets a lot of new players acclimated to how things will go in the USA Basketball program.

"This is my favorite minicamp, where you have your new kids coming in and your older kids here. A good combination," Showalter said.

"Our older guys are so good with the younger guys because three years ago they were the younger guys. It really helps us as USA Basketball because the players set the tone for the camp, but they also talk to the younger guys and get them through this weekend. I think that says a lot about the older guys."

Some of those older guys this year included multiple gold-medal winners like guard Gary Trent Jr. and forwards Kevin Knox and Wendell Carter Jr. All three class of 2017 stars won gold the last two summers with USA Basketball and help lead the younger players, many of which have never had a varsity practice before.

The camp helps familiarize the players with the program's offensive sets and press defense while also teaching drills that players can use to work on their game after leaving the camp.

"I think there's 14 of them that haven't even had a varsity practice yet," Showalter said. "So they're coming into a USA Basketball practice—two practices a day, three hours a practice—I think it gets them acclimated to doing what they have to do to get better. But also it should set the tone as they go back for their varsity career."

Some of the players take some time adjusting to the rigors of playing physically superior older players, while others show a better comfort level. This kind of setting has helped USA Basketball target which players could become core pieces for the future of the program in the coming years, and it has a big impact on how national team tryouts could be in June.

"We do some evaluation, but these kids are going to change so much between now and next year," Showalter said. "It's more for them to get acclimated to how we do things. To what our culture is, our expectations. We put in some of our press stuff and some of our offense. So when they come in in June they know a little bit already."

The 54-man camp was a big success again this fall, and some of the early standouts in the class of 2019 and class of 2020 could become key pieces for the program once they reach the pros.

USA Basketball

Vernon Carey Jr. finding his own path after father's football success

One of the more highly regarded class of 2019 prospects in attendance was 4-star power forward Vernon Carey Jr. Viewed as the No. 12 player in the class, Carey Jr. is a talented 6'10" big man who is 230 pounds but agile and skilled.

Carey Jr. is the son of former Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Vernon Carey, a first-round pick out of Miami in 2004. The younger Carey has Arizona, Duke and Virginia as some of the schools he said were contacting him, while he's trying to visit Florida State and Kentucky before October closes out.

Although his dad had success as an eight-year NFL pro, Carey Jr. said his father is supportive of him playing basketball.

"It helps a lot. He gives me great advice. He doesn't play basketball, but he knows about sports," Carey Jr. said.

"He loves coming to my games. He wants me to do what's best for me and what I want to do."

 

   

Trendon Watford benefiting from brotherly love

Another player who drew a lot of attention from the Class of 2019 in Colorado Springs was 6'8" forward Trendon Watford. A natural talent who can score and rebound, Watford is the No. 11 player in the national class of 2019 rankings.

A versatile forward who can play inside or out, part of the reason Watford's been able to ascend up the national rankings is because he's been working out with his older brother—former Indiana star Christian Watford.

"He's at home right now so I see him all the time before he heads out to play for the Pacers' D-League team," Watford said.

"[We're in the gym] all the time. We work out, one-on-one. All the time. [Sometimes] multiple times a day." 

 

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Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and information were obtained firsthand.